H-AGOM-JChapman
Gerald Chapman left cropped form
1994 AGOM reunion
Coast Watcher Station MAG commanded
by 2nd Lt. Gerald S. Chapman was set up on the Northwestern tip of Samar in late
September, 1943, with the primary mission to report on shipping through the San
Bernardino Straits. Additional tasks were to report on aircraft and any
significant ground activity of the Japanese forces.
In the spring of 1944, there was a
significant increase in enemy activity around the small peninsula where the
station was located and intelligence indicated that the Japanese were aware
that the station was in the area and were trying to pinpoint the location.
Because of this threat to our security, a decision was made to move the station
across the Straits to Sorsogon. The move was made of the night of 4 April,
1944.
In many ways, the move enhanced our
mission by getting access to intelligence information on the disposition of
Japanese forces in the Southern Luzon area, gaining a better vantage point for
observing the Straits and improving our source of supplies.
Coast Watcher operations are pretty
much routine but they make a significant contribution to the war effort
primarily by giving bits of intelligence on the enemy situation that can be
pieced together at command level to give an overall picture of what the enemy
is doing in the area. However, there are occasions when events of special
significance occur that highlight the important role that these units play in
the war effort. Station MAG, along with several other stations in the
Philippine area experienced such an event in the summer of 1944.
June 15, 1944 started like most
other days at Station MAG; house-keeping chores, contact with the net control
station and preparation of a couple of reports on aircraft sightings. At 1430,
the observer from the lookout point called me to check on some ships entering
the Straits from the west. On arrival at the outpost, I was surprised to see a
number of large Japanese naval vessels beginning their passage through the
Straits in single file,. With my identification pamphlet in hand, I began
recording them in order as follows:
2
Small Patrol Boats 2
Destroyers,
2
Cruisers Atago class 2
Cruisers Mogami class,
2
Cruisers Tone class 2
Destroyers,
2
Battleships Kongo class 3 Aircraft
Carriers,
1
Light Cruiser Agano class 2
Cruisers Nachi class,
2
Destroyers 3
Aircraft Carriers,
2
Destroyers 3
Aircraft Carriers,
1
Destroyer 1
Battleship Nagato class
1
Cruiser Tone class.
The last ship passed our lookout
post at 1630. As they left the Straits, we could see the ships begin to spread
out.
On the 26th of June, received the
following message from our net control station, relative to the above event:
"CMDR SEVENTH FLEET SAYS QUOTE WELL DONE ON JAP BATTLE FLEET UNQUOlE PD
STAHL TO CHAPMAN CONGRATS OLDMAN PD."
On November 23, 1944, the radio
transmitter went out of commission and after trying for several days to fix the
problem, I decided to take the equipment to Tacloban, Leyte which was now
occupied by U-S. troops. We departed from Santa Magdalena by banca on 29
November and landed at Villareal Samar late in the morning of 3 December where
we were met by a platoon from the 8th Cavalry Regiment. We arrived in Tacloban
on 4 December, 1944.
BY: GERALD CHAPMAN
This was the last message to be sent
to General MacArthur (by an American Coast Watcher) on the position of this
Japanese task force.
On June 19th, four days later and
600 miles to the east of the island of Luzon, this task force would end up in
"the battle of the Western Philippine Sea."
The Japanese lost over 350 aircraft
in this battle compared to 30 American losses, thus the name "Mariannas
Turkey Shoot" coined by an American Navy fighter pilot.
Also on this day, Lt. George Bush,
in taking off from the deck of the aircraft carrier San Jacinto, had to fly
through some heavy flak fired by the San Jac. His oil lines were cut and he had
to crash land his Avenger. In Nov. 1988, Lt. George Bush became President
George Bush.
BY: TOM MITSOS
Kay & Gerald Chapman at
’94 RU SanDiego